An Interview with Tena Stetler, Author of A Warlock’s Secret

A hearty welcome to Tena Stetler! Congrats on your new release, A Warlock’s Secret! I wish you great success with it. Now, let’s get this interview started!

At what age did you write your first story?Grade school. We didn’t have a lot of money, so whenever a friend had a birthday or special event, I wrote them a story about witches, vampires, unicorns, you get the picture.

Which genre was the first to hook you?Paranormal

What was your first published book?A Demon’s Witch in September 2015.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Outlining? Writing? Editing? All of it, except, don’t outline. I’m strictly a seat of the pants girl. The closest I come to outlining is the five page character worksheet I complete before starting a new story. I love coming up with new tales, putting pen to paper watching the tale come to life, then polishing it so it’s the best it can be before sharing it with the world.

What are you working on now?Fifth book in the Demon’s Witch series. It was supposed to be only four in the series, but a couple characters in A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance demanded their own story. What can I say, I’m a slave to my characters?

Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite?The setting of a hair salon in Washington DC with a demon owner and stylist. Why? Unique setting for vibrant characters. It was my first and still holds a special place in my heart.

Have you ever dreamed about a character you created?Actually a lot of my stories come to me in the before sleep state of mind. Or just before becoming fully awake.

If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be?Steven Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates III of Microsoft.

If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be?Ireland and Scotland first in the 1500s to see the castles when they were inhabited and day to day life, then return to present day to see what happened to those families’ lineage.

If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose?Molly Harper’s Naked Werewolf series.

If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request?Serenity and happiness for myself, family and friends. In these tumultuous times, seems to me that would be a blessing.

Tea or coffee?TeaCake or pie?PieHalloween or Christmas?HalloweenNancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes?Nancy DrewJane Austen or the Brontë sisters?NeitherA mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover?Tie between a vampire or fae.English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy?Scottish Highlander

A little about A Warlock’s Secrets

Years ago, a sacred ceremony at the Dragon’s Moon Coven turned deadly. Son of the high priestess, Tristian Shandie’s life changed forever. With a price on his head and revenge in his heart, he has no choice but to follow in his father’s footsteps to a profession shrouded in secrets. Now his skills as an enforcer for the Demon Overlord are second to none. But dangerous secrets he harbors are a liability he can no longer afford.

A chance meeting with a woman he finds irresistible flips Tristian’s world upside down. Hannah is a cyber security specialist with secrets of her own. Bad boys never appealed to her until Tristian, who changes everything. In his darkest hours, she is dragged into his magical world.

If they survive, is she strong enough to heal his heart and tame the warlock? Or will their secrets destroy them?

A peek between the pages

And her body was never found… She shook her head to dislodge the voice from her mind and followed him to the trail. He took hold of her hand and intertwined their fingers as they walked the rocky coastline until the trail wound through the brush and trees down to the beach. Waves crashed against the shoreline, and wind gusts brought the ocean spray raining down on them. The sun hung low in the sky as she pulled her jacket tight around her.

The man was a puzzle. One minute he’s gruff and unresponsive, the next patient, attentive, and talkative. It’s like he’s at war with himself. Damn he’s intriguing and—sexy as hell. She liked the air of mystery surrounding him. If she was honest with herself, the hint of danger that lurked around him was a turn on too. Ma and Da would not approve. She snickered.

“What’s so funny?” Tristian stopped in mid-stride and stared at her.

“Oh, nothing. Just that my attraction to bad boys is alive and well. My parents…”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Boys? I don’t think so. Your parents?”

“Wouldn’t approve of you.” She snickered again. “And I used the term boys loosely, meaning males.” Her gaze slithered over him from top to bottom. “Believe me, I’m well aware you’re not a boy.”

“I’m certainly glad you noticed.” He paused for a couple beats. “Your parents—does it matter?” he asked sliding a seductive glance in her direction.

Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance and cozy mystery author with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, Tena sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures telling her their tales. Colorado is her home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle. Any evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Well, okay there are a few companion animals to round out the tales.

Loved the interview Tena!! I found some of your answers fascinating. Good luck with your book. I really enjoyed that book and am looking forward to reading the others in the series. I LOVE the hair salon run by a demon! 🙂